I just want to confirm the joys of adopting a mature coonhound. Mine is 5 yrs old and completely housebroken. Always goes to the door when she needs to relieve herself. She does require exercise but so do I. Exercise helps both of us and prevents human "excuses" for not exercising. She is very calm in the house..does not chew, does not constantly want to "retrieve" and is affectionate without being needy. Of course, she has that adorable coonhound face which makes everyone smile. If you get an opportunity to adopt one of these dogs, I doubt you will regret the decision. ~Marilyn

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Miss Scarlett is the best greeter dog in Ohio!

_Puppies are undeniably cute, but an adult hound may be the best match
for your family, especially if you’ve never owned a hound before.
Coonhounds and foxhounds are large, athletic dogs and they take a long
time to grow up. Many hounds are still teenagers at two, and can try
anyone’s patience. At least consider adopting a grown-up hound. Here
are some of the benefits:
1. No baby teeth. When a pup still has those needle-like baby teeth, it
is going to teethe and chew up your prized possessions. In a typical
hound, teething continues until all adult teeth are in, somewhere
between six and eight months. An adult dog may still need to learn about
the house rules at your place, but at least it isn’t driven to mouth
everything in sight. You will lose far fewer gloves, shoes, remote
controls and eyeglasses to an adult than a puppy! A dog with some
respect for chair legs may save your household from considerable
heartbreak and expense.

2. No teenage rebellion. A coonhound may be almost physically mature by
six months, but still a mental midget until somewhere between two and
four years old. Until emotionally mature, any dog will periodically test
its place within the family pack. An emotionally-sound adult dog will
size up the situation in her new family, accept her rank in the pack,
and fit in quickly.
3. Easier housebreaking.Older dogs, especially those that have been
fostered out by rescue groups, are likely to come already house-trained.
Even if they’re not, they have the physical and mental ability to pick
it up really fast (unlike puppies). If housetraining is needed, an older
dog can "hold it." Puppies take longer to housebreak than adults do
because they don’t have fully developed bowel and bladder control. With
an older dog, you can get a full night's sleep, and you won’t have to
replace all the carpeting or live with the old stains.

Lucy enjoys watching the world go by.

_4. Mellow voice.Adult coonhounds have musical voices, a joy to listen
to. Puppies have an insistent screech. They’re just as loud as adults,
but they’re a lot harder to tolerate hearing. You—and your
neighbors—will prefer the sound of an adult hound.
5. Longer attention span.Older dogs are calmer and better able to focus
for longer lengths of time, making them easier to train than puppies
with five-second attention spans. Those years of experience reading
humans can help them quickly figure out what you’re asking of them.
6. Not a 24/7 job.Grown up dogs rarely require the constant
monitoring puppies do, leaving you with more freedom. If you have other
commitments—kids, a job, errands, or just a minimally flexible
routine—you probably can’t afford to keep one eye on the pup constantly.
If you envision a companion to curl up at your feet when you feel like
checking your email, vegging out in front of the TV, or reading quietly,
you want an adult dog, not a puppy tugging at your pants leg.

7. Predictability. You can get to know an older hound before you
introduce him to your family. Right from the start, you’ll know how big
the dog is going to get, what its energy-level will be like, how loud
its voice will be, and what its personality is like, making it easier to
pick the right dog. If you’re not into unpleasant surprises, an older
dog is for you! What you see is what you get.

Jack and Jill are living the dream! They are old enough to appreciate the good life.

_8. Shorter-term commitment.Yearn for a canine friend, but worry what
might happen in your future? Your life plan not set yet? A puppy or
young dog requires an 8- to 20-year commitment. If you are a student or in
the military, have dreams of extended travel, have health issues, are
older and considering moving to an adult community, a senior dog is a
better choice than a puppy. Providing a loving home for a senior dog is
not a less serious commitment, but it can be a shorter one.
9. They enjoy easy livin’. Couch potato, know thyself! Please consider a
canine retiree rather than a high-energy young hound who will run you
ragged. Not that older hounds don’t require any exercise—they do—but
they’re not going to need, or want, to run a marathon every day.
10.Easier for beginners. Older hounds are an ideal choice for someone
who has never had a hound before. For all of the reasons listed above,
they are less of a challenge to a beginner, and may actually teach YOU.
My first hound taught me to hunt!
11. Save a life; be a hero.At shelters, older hounds are often the
last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. Saving an animal’s
life offers an unparalleled emotional return on your investment, and
you’ll feel the rewards every day you spend together.
12.Help fight puppy mills. You will not be patronizing a puppy mill,
which is a "factory" for dogs and cats. Typically these facilities do
not uphold baseline humane standards for animal care.
13. More choice. There are more adult hounds in shelters and rescues
than puppies. You’ll have a far bigger pool of dogs to choose from if
you don’t insist on a puppy.
14.Those pleading eyes! The breed standard for most hounds describes
the ideal as having a “pleading expression.” It’s very hard to look at
an adult hound without feeling the effects of that eager-to-please look.
Puppies are cute, but adults are seductive!
15. Seniors are loving. One cool part of our volunteer effort is
reading stories from people just like you who have opted to adopt. The
emails we get from pet parents with senior dogs almost always contain
heartfelt descriptions of the love these dogs give. Especially those of
you who adopted dogs already in their golden years have told us how
devoted and grateful they are.
Emily S. Plishner, December, 2011